Water-stable luminescent metal-organic frameworks: Sensing applications in aqueous environments

The essentiality of water stability in sensors is crucial for safeguarding public health through the surveillance of abnormal conditions in aqueous and biological environments rich in water content. The swift advancement of luminescent sensors, specifically metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), benefits from their adaptable structure and ease of functionality. These features render MOFs highly practical for constructing sensing platforms tailored to specific applications. This review comprehensively outlines water-stable luminescent MOF (LMOF) sensors, engineered via the assembly of metal ions and organic linkers, with a focus on applications in water-containing media. The guidelines for designing water-stable LMOF sensors are summarized, emphasizing structural stability based on Pearson's Hard-Soft-Acid Base (HSAB) principle, construction of LMOFs with blocked metal centers, or hydrophobic surfaces. The review investigates the sensing mechanisms of LMOF-based sensors, highlighting the advantages of water-stable sensing platforms. Finally, the applications of water-stable LMOFs in detecting ions, toxic species, and biomolecules in environmental protection and the biomedical field are discussed. This review aims to contribute to cutting-edge research in the field of luminescent sensing using water-stable LMOF sensors. Water stability of sensors is crucial for promoting public health by monitoring abnormal conditions in the water environment and biological systems. This review summarize the guidelines for designing water stable LMOF sensors, discuss the sensing mechanism of LMOF-based sensors, and concludes with the sensing applications of water stable LMOFs. • The guidelines for designing water stable LMOF sensors are systematically summarized. • The sensing mechanisms of LMOF-based sensors are discussed. • The sensing applications of water stable LMOFs are concluded. • The challenges and future research opportunities are presented.